IANSA Infographics: Effective UNPoA implementation (May 2023)

IANSA has created two infographics to highlight the importance of effective implementation of the UN Programme of Action to Prevent, Combat and Eradicate the Illicit Trade in Small Arms and Light Weapons in All Its Aspects (UNPoA) and showcase the outcomes of our pilot project “Building Civil Society Dialogues with Governments to Promote National PoA Priorities.”

Effective UNPoA Implementation: Setting national targets to prevent the illicit trade in small arms

The UN Programme of Action on Small Arms (UNPoA) is a framework for Member States to prevent the illicit trade of small arms and light weapons (SALW). It provides guidance to governments to implement it through national laws and policies, emphasizing the need for cooperation to prevent the circulation of illegal firearms globally.

This infographic introduces the UNPoA and demonstrates how setting national targets can help prevent the illicit trade in SALW. It highlights the main UNPoA functional areas, the goals and objectives of IANSA for each functional area, and introduces IANSA’s national dialogues project and its outcomes.

Building civil society dialogues with governments to promote national UNPoA priorities

IANSA, with support from UNSCAR, launched the pilot project “Building Civil Society Dialogues with Governments to Promote National PoA Priorities” in 2022. This project aims to facilitate discussions between civil society organizations and governments to advance national priorities in implementing the UNPoA, based on the diverse and urgent nature of the small arms issue globally.

This infographic highlights successful partnerships between the governments of Cameroon and Pakistan and local civil society organizations (The Mission of Cameroon Youth and Students Forum for Peace (CAMYOSFOP) and Blue Veins Pakistan). Together, they started dialogues to acknowledge the importance of the UNPoA and develop ways it can be better implemented in their countries.

Civil society should actively contribute to developing national targets for the implementation of the UNPoA. When governments include and work together with local and national civil society organizations, implementation is more streamlined and becomes more effective because it is supported by a variety of stakeholders!

The infographics are in PDF format for printing.